Morsels: March 27

Published: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at 8:25 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at 8:25 a.m.

Falderal wine master to speak at forum

Paul Kovacich, wine master at Falderal Winery, 131 Third Ave. W., Hendersonville, will speak at the Winemakers Forum from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 6 at the A-B Tech Enka campus in Candler, near Asheville.

The forum is sponsored by the college's BioNetwork BioBusiness Center and French Broad Vignerons. The forum is designed for wine makers at all levels of experience, and attendees will be grouped based on personal experience — beginner, experienced and advanced. Each level will participate in three moderated forums. Forums will explore issues such as materials, grapes, resources, testing procedures, managing wine development, sanitation, blending, bottling, corkage and aging. Kovacich will join eight other experienced wine makers and growers to present at each forum session.

French Broad Vignerons is an organization formed by local vintners and growers that promotes viticulture as a tool for economic development in the mountain counties of Western North Carolina.

The cost of the forum is $25. Attendees must be 21 years old or older. Registration is required. Visit www.abtech.edu/ce/ registration to register. Call 828-693-7676 or visit www.falderalwinery.com for more information.

SYLVA

NC Beer Month observed in April

This April is the first North Carolina Beer Month, and Sylva's Heinzelmannchen Brewery will tap into the fun with four initiatives for beer lovers.

North Carolina Beer Month was created to showcase the state's burgeoning craft beer scene, which now includes more than 75 breweries. Margo Metzger, public relations manager for the N.C. Division of Tourism, said the idea has been fermenting for some time.

“We have been promoting craft beer for several years now and saw this great momentum building,” Metzger said. “We definitely thought craft beer was hot.”

Brewmaster Dieter Kuhn crafts exceptional ales at Heinzelmännchen Brewery. Open since 2004, the brewery specializes in alt beer made in the warmer regions of Germany. TripAdvisor.com recently ranked Heinzelmannchen sixth among the Top 10 brewery tours in the nation, just behind Samuel Adams and Sierra Nevada.

Visit ncbeermonth.com for more information.

Flat Rock Tailgate Market to open May 2

The Flat Rock Tailgate Market will reopen from 3 to 6 p.m. May 2 in the parking area behind the Cherry Cottage and next to Hubba Hubba Smoke House along Little Rainbow Row.

This is the seventh year that the market has been in operation, and it will continue every Thursday through October.

Along with most of the old favorites, there will be some new additions to the market this year. A wide variety of plants, fruits and vegetables will be added as the growing season progresses.

To obtain a vendor's application or for more information, call Molly Sharp at 828-698-8775, Cheryl Stippich at 828-693-0781 or Saundra Poces at 828- 698- 8149.

FLETCHER

Earth Fare launches community initiatives

Earth Fare, the healthy supermarket, has launched a new community-focused website connected to a community rewards program at www.EarthFare. com.

Earth Fare's first community campaign asks customers to stop by for its Sunday Burgers for Bucks event, join the conversation on Facebook and start saving as a part of its Tomato Bank rewards program.

When the community reaches all three of these goals, Earth Fare will provide $1,000 for physical education equipment to neighborhood schools in each of its 30 markets across the Southeast and Midwest. Check out the new website at www. EarthFare.com.

FLAT ROCK

Season's spring chef's tasting on Thursday

Season's Restaurant at Highland Lake Inn, 86 Lily Pad Lane, will host its Spring Chef's Exclusive Tasting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, featuring music from Paul Bowman. The cost is $65 plus tax and gratuity for the world cuisine or $85 plus tax and gratuity with beverage pairings. The evening's dining experience begins with a carrot and ginger bisque with crisp baby turnips, creme fraiche, and dill jus with the optional pairing of the 2011 J. Christoph Riesling from Mosel, Germany, to complement.

The appetizer is a coldsmoked sea scallop, seared over avocado puree with a fennel and citrus slaw and grapefruit emulsion. The pairing for this course is a 2011 Nora Albarino, Rias Baixas from Galicia, Spain.

Following is the pea and carrot salad. Pea tendril salad tossed with mint, lemon vinaigrette and Easter egg radishes with goat's feta puree and carrot sphere will be paired with the 2010 Vergert Du Sud Viognier, from the Rhone region in France.

The two entrees for the evening are Benton's prosciutto-wrapped halibut, an oven-roasted halibut and aged country ham with a Tabasco hollandaise, pommes anna, sauteed asparagus and pickled red pepper, complemented by a 2011 DeLoach Chardonnay from Russian River, Calif., and a Moroccanspiced loin of lamb, seared over sweet potato puree and local Swiss chard, accompanied by turmericscented yogurt, lamb jus and sweet potato threads paired with a 2009 Haraszthy Amador Zinfandel from Foothills, Calif.

Dessert will be a strawberry shortcake consisting of macerated, local strawberries over a flaky biscuit with buttermilk rhubarb ice cream and a candied lemon chip with the optional pairing of Season's house-made white sangria to complement.

Reservations are required. Call 828-696-9094 or visit hlinn.com/ news for more information.

BREVARD

April classes at Blue Ridge Bakery

The Blue Ridge Cooking School at the Blue Ridge Bakery, 400 S. Broad St., Brevard, will host cooking classes from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on these dates in April:

u Tuesday: Fun with pasta. Students learn to use butternut squash and broccoli rabe lasagna for pasta. Also, students will make penne with radicchio, spinach and bacon and a pesto out of pistachio nuts. For seafood lovers, there will be a spicy seafood pasta with lemon, chile and mint. Cost: $35.

u April 4: Authentic Mexican class. Susan and Elvira will teach students how to make the perfect chiles rellenos, chicken tacos and homemade guacamole along with a Tres Leches cake for dessert. Cost: $35.

u April 9: Cajun feast class. Students will prepare shrimp and oyster po' boys with homemade remoulade, gumbo, red beans and rice, and top it off with a plate of Bananas Foster. Cost: $35.

u April 16: A trio of Italian breads: whole wheat pizza dough, focaccia with carmelized onions and ciabatta bread that is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Cost: $35.

u April 23: The cooking with booze class. This lesson starts with dessert, Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes. From there, the class will make Wisconsin-style beer cheese soup, pork fillets in dark ale and a champagne risotto. Cost: $35.

u April 24: Guest Chef Sylvia Anton of Eclectic Person Chef in Charlotte will host this class. She will teach students how to cook some eclectic dishes from all over the world. On the menu is a Latin ceviche, a French-inspired dinner en pappilote (cooked in paper) and Vietnamese spring rolls. Added bonuses for the evening include a white sangria and a few tips on how to set up a buffet at home. Cost: $45.

u April 30: Turkish delight class. Students will make a classic Turkish spice rub called za'atar and a classic roasted red pepper sauce harissa, both of which go beautifully with lamb or chicken. Also, prepare a pilaf with chick peas and dried fruit, salmon marinated in a cilantro sauce and cilantro-scallion bread. Cost: $35.

Call 828-883-8444 to make reservations or for more information.

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